A Summer for Dying

Delighted that Dan Kardon gets to ride again. Jamie Katz second book is as good as his first. Kardon doesn't seem to look for trouble but he always manages find it. The author's legal expertise allows him to take the reader in a comfortable way through complex legal areas such as environment, local government, planning consents. He also manages to keep the spotlight on the good side of the legal profession - where the lawyer just wants to help the client and fees aren't an issue -or is Dan Kardon part of a dying breed of lawyers?? With a busy schedule I don't find the time to read a book at one session so my test for the quality of a book is how keen I am to get back to it each night - A Summer for Dying had me heading for bed early - so it passed the test with flying colours. Am looking forward to seeing where Jamie Katz takes Dan Kardon next - hopefully, he'll bring Jenny Crane back in to the action.

Boston attorney Daniel Kardon and his partner and lover Jenny Crane feel good about life and the future. Their rising law firm agrees to accept black entrepreneur Jerome Mann and his professional basketball-playing cousin Daryl as clients. Daniel believes this deal will provide them a slam dunk opportunity for success.Jerome owns property in Meadowbrook, where his plans for a massive real estate venture involving ghetto kids has had local opposition, as no one wants inner city youth near their homes. Endangered turtles residing on the property has also slowed down development. Jerome expects Daniel (Jenny had to go home to care for her ailing mother) to resolve the problems. However, a new issue surfaces when someone murders Jerome and the law enforcement officials immediately turn to the most likely black person, Daryl, as the prime suspect. Now Daniel needs to prove his remaining client is innocent.A SUMMER FOR DYING is an entertaining legal thriller that centers on the middle class white person's seemingly negative gut reaction towards a black person, especially a successful one. The story line is fast-paced and filled with action. Daniel is a warm character whose motives are fully developed. The prime support cast also seems real and the turtle environmental issue will remind the audience of the endangered woodpecker at Fort Bragg, who slowed down the army much more than Hussein did. Jamie Katz provides readers with an enjoyable tale that hopefully will lead to a series for Daniel with Jenny staying for more pages in New England.Harriet Klausner